Has Maye Finished the Patriots' Painful Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.
Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.
Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.
Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.
It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.
After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.
His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.
Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.
Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the identity of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – a 61-yard TD.
Highlight of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.
It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
